International Youth Day

Background

International Youth Day is observed every year on 12 August. It is observed as an awareness day designated by the United Nations.

International Youth day was designated by the United Nations General Assembly on 17 December 1999 with adoption of Resolution 54/120. The decision was come with the recommendation made by the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth (Lisbon, 8-12 August 1998) that 12 August be declared international Youth Day. The first International Youth Day was observed on 12 August 2000.

The day is observing to draw attention to a given set of cultural and legal issues surrounding youth.

Theme

2017: Youth Building Peace

2016: The Road to 2030: Eradicating Poverty and Achieving Sustainable Consumption and Production

2015: Youth and Civic Engagement

2014: Mental Health Matters

2013: Youth Migration: Moving Development Forward

2012: Building a Better World: Partnering with Youth

2011: Change Our World

2010: Dialogue and Mutual Understanding

2009: Sustainability: Our Challenge. Our Future

2008: Youth and Climate Change: Time for Action

2007: Be seen, Be heard: Youth Participation for Development

2006: Tackling Poverty Together

2005: WPAY+10: Making Commitments Matter

2004: Youth in an Intergenerational Society

2003: Finding Decent Productive Work for Young People Everywhere

2002: Now and for the Future: Youth Action for Sustainable Development

2001: Addressing Health and Unemployment

Actions and Programmes

On this day programs are conducted by Governments and other organizations to draw attention to youth issues worldwide.

Other programs like concerts, workshops, cultural events, and meetings involving national and local government officials and youth organizations take place around the world.

Programmes are arranged to spread the theme and message for the particular observation. It also sees the ways to engage youth in becoming more actively involved in making positive contributions to their communities.

Youth conferences, various sporting events, parades and mobile exhibitions that showcase young people’s achievements are also conducting on this day. Discussions and information campaigns will take place on this day across the world, to encourage governments and general public to understand the needs of young people, to implement policies to help them overcome the challenges they face, and to help young people into the decision making process.

UN declares a theme for every year that communicates the scope, direction, and objectives of the year’s youth initiatives. Theme for 2014 is “Mental Health Matters”. To promote this theme and awareness United Nations is running a campaign from 12 June 2014 until International Youth Day on 12 August 2014. The main objective of the campaign is to draw awareness to the importance of reducing stigma surrounding youth with mental health conditions.

General public also promoting this campaign through social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. They are also sharing their and others experiences through artwork, illustrations, short videos, photos and/or short stories.

Many organize International Youth Day in their community, school, youth club and workplace. The UN offers resources like promotional material, ideas for events, training material etc. through its subsidiary agencies as well as its website, for independent entities world over to celebrate the day.